Luke 5

2 standing. That is, “lying at anchor.”

were washing. Their fishing for the time was over, so that their trouble in obeying the command (4) would be the greater.

3 out of the ship (boat). Our Lord was thus secured from the pressure of the crowd, and was sufficiently raised for them to see and hear Him well.

5 all the night. As night is the usual time for fishing, it was not likely that, having failed in the night, they should succeed by day. But he would obey the Master’s word, although with little hope.

6 their net (nets) brake. Rather, as R.V., “were breaking”; i.e., beginning to break.

8 for I am a sinful man. All were “astonished” at our Lord’s control over creation; but Peter’s susceptible mind was deeply affected with that sense of personal sinfulness which other pious men have felt and expressed under a vivid perception of the presence and power of the Most Holy: see Job xi. 4, 5. The signal miracle was, moreover, a rebuke to the hesitancy shown in Peter’s words (5).

10 shalt catch men. The Greek means “shall be catching,” suggesting continuous labour. The promise had its special fulfilment at Pentecost and shortly after; see Acts ii. 41, etc.

11 forsook all. See note on Matt. xix. 27.

12-16. See notes on Mark i. 40-45.

16. He withdrew . . . and prayed. Lit., “was withdrawing . . . and praying”: cp. Mark i. 45, which gives the immediate reason for this retirement. Luke is the most particular of all the evangelists in referring to our Lord’s constant habits of devotion.

17 the power of the Lord. i.e., of God.

to heal them. The original seems rather to mean “for Him to heal,” or “for His work of healing.” “Them” appears to be an incorrect reading.

19 let him down. They would reach the top of the house by the outside staircase (see note, Matt. xxiv. 17). The “tiling” through which they let the man down was probably a covering which projected beyond the parapet over part of the central court, where our Lord was. This would be light and thin, commonly of rafters covered with mud tiles and straw; and in many cases so made as to be readily taken away.

20 thy sins are forgiven. It is probable that the paralytic’s suffering was the result of his own sin. But it does not follow that suffering is always the punishment of wrong-doing. Many of the most saintly people have been great sufferers. Anyhow, the Saviour dealt first with the man’s greatest need—the healing of the soul.

21 speaketh blasphemies. They justly held that it belonged to God alone to forgive sins; but they did not see that the Saviour was Himself Divine.

24 take up thy couch. The thin light mattresses which were commonly used as beds could easily be carried away.

27,28. See notes on Matt. ix. 9.

29-39. See notes on Matt. ix. 10-17.

30 their scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees of the town.

33 fast often, and make prayers. The claim of some in Christian Churches that the ascetic life is the “religious” life is refuted by the example of our Lord and His disciples.

36 if otherwise, etc. “Otherwise he both rends the new, and the patch of the new does not agree with the old.” Each part is spoilt, and the whole is incongruous.

37 betites. “wine-skins,” as R.V.

39. The old is better. This verse (which is peculiar to Luke) contains our Lord’s final answer to the question in ver. 33. Had John dissuaded his disciples from strict fasting and frequent prayers, he would have been prematurely offering new wine to those who had been accustomed to the old. “It is not easy to pass from a system with which one has been identified from childhood, to an entirely different principle of life. Such men must be allowed time to be familiarised with the new principle that is presented to them” (Godet).

3 borne of four. A graphic touch, peculiar to Mark.

4 the bed. Pallet or thin mattress.

press: the crowd.

5. Son (lit., “Child”), thy sins be forgiven thee. As the word be is ambiguous (apparently expressing a wish), the translation are is preferable: so R.V.

14 [son] of Alphæus. This Alphæus (mentioned only by Mark) is a different person from the father of James (Matt. x. 3).

21 else the new piece, etc. Or, “That which filleth (or should fill) it up taketh away from it, the new from the old.” See Matt. ix. 14-17.

26. Abiathar. Abiathar is named (only by Mark) as the high priest; but in 1 Sam. xxi. 1-6, we find that his father Ahimelech was then in the office. Some suggest that Ahimelech may have had also the name of “Abiathar”; others that the words mean, “in the days of Abiathar, who was afterwards the high priest.”

27. The sabbath was made for man, etc. Only in Mark: comp. note on Matt. xii. 8. This saying of our Lord rebukes equally all superstitious regard to the sabbath, and all neglect of the opportunity which it was designed to give for spiritual culture.